TRICK OR TREAT  I DOUBLEDOG DARE YOU!
by Donna McIntosh
Summary: Jack pays Ennis a Halloween visit.


Title: TRICK OR TREAT – I DOUBLE-DOG DARE YOU!

Author: Donna McIntosh

Email:

Fandom: Brokeback Mountain

Genre: M/M

Rated: FRAO – NC 17

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Annie Proulx. I make no money from these stories.

Ennis del Mar hated Halloween. He dreaded it – all the kids knocking at his door. It's not that he hated kids, not at all. He just hated people knocking on his door, interrupting him, alone with his private thoughts. And he didn't have enough money to be wasting any on candy. He'd just do what he had been doing since he moved into the trailer park. He'd turn off all the lights and refuse to answer the door.

At least this year Halloween was on a Friday night. That wouldn't make it so bad. Ennis did love his Friday nights. He'd stop at the bank on his way home, cash his pay check, hit the liquor store for a case of beer and stop at the local burger place for supper. The kids were already circulating through the trailer park when he got home. Two little ones ran up to him yelling, "Trick or treat."

"I ain't got no candy." He answered and hurried inside. He locked the door, shoved the beer in the refrigerator and ate his dinner by the light of the TV – all without turning a light on. The next two hours were filled with knocks on the door which he didn't answer. He sat on his bed and watched TV.

By nine o'clock the knocking had stopped. He got up, took a shower, got another beer and sat watching TV in his pajamas. Quarter to ten another knock. He ignored it. It came again and again; stronger and stronger. He ignored it. It came again even louder. It sounded like someone was using their fist.

He got up, yanked the door opened, "I ain't got no candy!" He said angrily then after studying the figure in front of him; tall, dark clothing, and a smiley face drawn on a piece of brown grocery bag for a mask. "Ain't you a little bit old to be Trick or Treatin?"

"Does this mean I don't get my treat?" The make-shift mask was lowered and Jack Twist grinned up at him.

"Uhhh," Ennis grunted, wide-eyed. He looked around the trailer park and no one was in sight. He reached down, grabbed a fist full of jacket and pulled Jack into his trailer; slamming and locking the door behind them. "What the hell ..." was all he got out before Jack lunged at him, smothering him with kisses.

"Jack … what the hell you doin here?" Ennis asked after managing to pull back for a breath of air.

Jack, reluctant to let go of his armful of flannel clad Ennis, finally released him with a sigh. "I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in." He gave a guilty little smile he hoped was seductive enough that Ennis wouldn't throw him out.

"This ain't in your neighborhood!" Ennis gave him a stern look.

"Okay, okay. Don't get upset, Cowboy. Truth is, Lureen and Bobby are off on some cruise. Momma's birthday is in a couple a days so I decided to drive on up here and surprise her."

"This ain't Lightnin Flat!" Ennis said but he couldn't hide the little grin that turned up the corners of his mouth.

"No, it ain't but her birthday is on Monday so I got me a couple days to kill. It's the weekend and I figured you'd be off work so I thought I'd stop by for a quick visit."

"Jack, … you can't be doin this kind a thing." Ennis looked away not wanting to see the look he knew would be in Jack's eyes.

"You want me to leave?" Jack gave him a pleading little look.

"Well I don't know now." Ennis walked a few steps away. He clicked off the TV then pulled his pajama top off over his head and tossed it. He pulled the covers back on his bed, dropped his pajama bottoms, baring his naked behind, and climbed into bed. "I'll let you know in the morning."

"You mean it?" Jack gave a big old jack-o-lantern grin. "I can stay?"

"That depends. It's Halloween. You want your treat you better get over here and show me some tricks!"

"YeeeeHaawwww!" Jack howled, tossed his hat and started stripping. He had a hard time removing his boots because he sat on the edge of the bed, shirt off, trying to pull them off and Ennis was doing his best to distract him by pulling on his jeans, trying to get the zipper down and his hand inside.

Jack managed to get one boot off before giving up and leaning back on the bed and letting Ennis take over. Finally, finally, with much vigorous help from Ennis, the last boot came off along with the jeans and shorts that had been blocking the way and Jack was free of all restraints. Sheets and blankets were shoved out of the way so they could have full body contact, from head to toe. Minutes were spent just savoring the touch and feel of one another. Hands roamed over bare bodies while sweet kisses were scattered where ever they could reach while they nuzzled.

Later, as they lay together, Ennis with his head on Jack's shoulder and an arm slung across Jack's middle, Jack asked. "Ennis – don't you ever just wish that it could be like this forever? Just the two of us?"

"Jack ..." He didn't know what to say to Jack's comment. He had heard it so many times before and tried and tried to explain to Jack how things were but Jack never gave up – never seemed to understand.

"I always dreamed of someday havin a place a my own and livin with someone I loved. Didn't you ever dream a stuff like that when you was a kid?" Jack asked.

"Sure. I dreamed a havin a place a my own. But mostly I dreamed a havin a family. I wanted a big ole place and I wanted it full a kids."

"You could still do that if that's what you really want." Jack said. "You're only 39. You got lots a baby-makin years left in you."

"Nah. It ain't what I want no more. It ain't nothin like I thought it would be. Mostly, I guess, I just wanted to be part of a family again. But when I think back on it; we never was all that happy a family – the folks, K.E., Lizzy and me. None a us ever did get on all that well. Momma and Lizzy did, I guess but Pa; he was always off with his drinkin buddies."

"So that left you and K.E. to yourselves?" Jack asked.

"Nah. K.E., he didn't have much use for me. I was three years younger and he hated havin me around mostly."

"What about after your folks passed and the two of you worked together? Wasn't it better then?"

"Nah, not really. I was younger, smaller and weaker than K.E. He was built like a bull, Momma used to say. I didn't get my growth till I was seventeen and even then I wasn't never big as him. Momma used to say that K.E. got the build but I got the looks. Never did know what she meant by that. I mean, I can see that K.E. got the best build but I didn't get no looks."

Jack rolled them over and looked Ennis in the eye. "Are you serious?"

"Huh?"

"Cowboy, you got the looks, all right! You're about the best lookin Cowboy I ever did see! And there ain't nothin wrong with your build neither; you're tall and strong and lean. And that photo you showed me that was taken at Jenny's wedding? I'd say ole K.E. was a good thirty, forty pounds over weight."

"His wife's a good cook, all right." Ennis grinned a little.

Jack reached over to the night stand and got a cigarette and lighter. He lit one, passed it on to Ennis, then lit another for himself. They sat up and smoked in silence for a while.

"You ever think of havin a place with me?" Jack asked.

"Jack, you know we can't do nothin like that." Ennis answered as he reached over and took hold of Jack's hand.

"I asked if you ever thought about it? You ever think about wakin up with me every mornin?"

Ennis was silent for a bit then answered. "I think about winnin the lottery too, Jack, but that don't mean it's ever gonna happen."

Jack shook his head and fingered a piece of tobacco off the tip of his tongue. "The difference is that you ain't got a chance in hell a winnin the lottery cause you don't buy no tickets. You and me – we could have a life together. The only thing stoppin it is you're afraid to try."

Ennis got up off the bed, went to the refrigerator and took out a beer. "You want a beer?"

"No! I don't want no beer, Ennis. I want you!" Jack stubbed out his cigarette and walked over to Ennis.

"Jack, that ain't gonna happen." Ennis said after taking a long drink of his beer.

A big ole grin spread across Jack's face as he spoke. "What if I said that I double-dog dare you!"

Ennis gave him an icy stare. "You wouldn't do that. You wouldn't make me do somethin you know I don't want a do."

"But if it's somethin you dream about – like winnin the lottery – then maybe I would."

Ennis glared at him. "I wished I never told you about that double-dog darin business." He shook his head as he remembered their conversation that long ago night up on Brokeback.

"So, tell me, what was it like growing up with a brother? I always wanted a brother." Jack asked as he passed the bottle of Old Rose to Ennis.

"It was okay, I guess." Ennis said as he took a sip and passed the bottle back.

"Just okay? I think it would have been great! Did the two of you get into lots of trouble together?"

"Shit, no! We didn't dare. Pa would've skinned us alive."

"Aw c'mon. You can tell me. It ain't like I'm gonna tell nobody." Jack coaxed.

"We did do some stuff … you know … foolin around."

"What? C'mon. Don't stop now!"

"We didn't get caught though so we didn't get in no trouble."

"So what did you do?"

"Oh just stupid stuff. I wouldn't a but he kept double-dog darin me."

"Huh? What's that?"

"You ain't never heard of double-dog darin?"

"Nope; I sure ain't. What is it?"

"It's when someone dares you to do somethin you know you shouldn't."

"Yeah; I know that much. What's this double-dog dare mean?"

"If someone dares you to do stuff; you can do it or not. But if they double-dog dare you – you ain't got no choice – you gotta do it." Ennis explained as he took another drink.

"Who says?" Jack asked after he thought about it for a minute.

"Huh?"

"Who says you gotta do it if you're double-dog dared?"

"I don't know. It's just the way it is. You get double-dog dared; you gotta do it. That's the way it goes."

"Shit! I ain't never heard that. So did K.E. Double-dog dare you a lot?"

"Yeah, he did but I got him back some too."

"Good for you, Cowboy. You shouldn't never let nobody take advantage of you." Jack said.

"But you _did_ tell me!" Jack countered.

"And you remembered that all these years? How come you never said nothin about it before this?"

"I don't know. It just come to me. So if I double-dog dare you, you got a do it – right?"

"Jack, that's kids stuff. We ain't kids no more." Ennis took another swallow of his beer.

"Nope. We ain't. That's for sure. What we are, are two men who love each other and belong together. Can you deny that?"

"I ain't admittin or denyin nothin."

Jack walked up behind him, circled him with his arms and nuzzled his cheek against the side of Ennis's neck. "You love me. Can you admit that much?"

"Jack … there ain't never been no question about that." Ennis leaned back into the embrace.

"And you know that I love you too; right?" Jack asked between little kisses behind Ennis's ear.

"Uh huh."

"You like sleepin with me? Wakin up with me?" Jack persisted.

"Now Jack ..." Ennis tried to turn around and stop the conversation but Jack's arms tightened and held him in place.

"You like workin with me? I ever shirk my share a the work?"

"Where you goin with this?"

"Did you or did you not tell me at least a hundred times how much you hate Riverton?"

"Jack ..."

"Answer me, Ennis."

"Yes, I did; but that don't mean ..."

"It means it's time you got yourself out a here. Find yourself a new place to live. That's what it means."

"And just walk off my job? What if I don't find no other work? What then? Huh? You ever think a stuff like that? You got a be practical, Jack."

"Practical? Okay; let's be practical. Winter's comin on hard and your work is gonna be cut to a couple days a week. Wouldn't it be better if you could find a full time job that didn't depend on the weather?"

"I like workin with the stock, Jack. Always have."

"I know that. You ever hear of a place called Montana?"

"Course I have. What about it?" Ennis pulled away and this time Jack let him go.

"There's a place there called Butte. Not all that far from the Big Belt Mountains where we could hunt and fish. There's a horse ranch just north a Butte and they're needin hands. I called 'em and talked with 'em. Pay is half again more than you're gettin out at Cole's ranch and the work is full-time year round. I'm drivin on over tomorrow and I want you to go with me."

"Jack, I can't do that!"

"Why the hell not? It's only 443 miles from Riverton. It'll only take half a day to drive there. We leave first thing in the morning, check it out in the afternoon and drive back here Sunday. You got Saturday and Sunday off. Wouldn't cost you nothin to go with me and check the place out."

"It ain't that, Jack!"

"I know, I know what you're thinkin. Listen to me, Ennis. This place is way the heck out in the middle a nowhere. Ranch manager said that was why he had such a hard time findin hands. It's a sixty mile drive into town. Ain't nobody gonna drive that far just to cause a little trouble."

"Jack ..."

"The ranch owner lives in town. He's only out at the place on weekends. He says we can live in the house if we want. I told him you had a trailer we could pull up there. He said that would be fine."

"How many other fellas workin out there?" Ennis asked.

"It's a small place. He had two runnin it. A couple a brothers. They took off on him and he's in a real bind cause he's got a town job he needs to see to."

"So you're wantin to tell him we're brothers?"

"Hell, Ennis! We don't have to tell him nothin about our sleepin arrangements. He didn't ask. It ain't none a his business and he knows that."

"What if he finds out?"

"Shit, Ennis! What if the sky falls? What if Russia decides to bomb us? What if aliens come down from the sky and eats us all? There's a hundred different things that could happen."

"We get caught – we're good as dead!" Ennis insisted.

Jack heaved a great sigh. "Okay. Looks like I've got to pull out the big guns. What if I double-dog dare you?"

"Jack!" Ennis gave him a warning look.

"I mean it, Ennis. I was hopin I could talk some sense into you but if you're not havin any of it then I'll have to dare you. I double-dog dare you, Ennis del Mar, to go to Montana with me tomorrow and see about this job!"

"That ain't fair!"

"Who gives a shit if it's fair or not! I sure don't! All I want a do is check this place out; see if it's all he says it is. And if it is, then I want us to take those jobs. If it ain't, we come back here and you can go back to life the way it's been the last twenty years and I'll go on and visit with Momma for a spell. That's all I'm askin."

"That's a hell of a lot a askin, Jack." Ennis said angrily.

Jack took him in his arms again and kissed him. "And you got a do it cause I double-dog dared you!"

"Shit!" Ennis muttered as he rested his head on Jack's shoulder. The argument was finished and they both knew it.

"Can we get some sleep now so we can get an early start in the morning?" Jack asked, smiling and confident now that the battle was over.

"Yeah. Might as well." Ennis agreed and they crawled into bed together and drifted off to sleep.

"Jesus, Jack – this place is beautiful!" Ennis said as they drove up the driveway late the next afternoon.

"It sure as hell is!" Jack agreed as he pulled his truck to a stop in front of the ranch house.

A gray-haired man in his sixties came out and met them on the porch. "Hi ya, there boys! Come on in here and have yourselves a cup a coffee." Mr. Reardon invited them inside after a handshake and introduction. "You both look like you know your way around a little hard work."

"Yes sir, we do." Jack agreed and Ennis nodded in agreement.

"You understand now that this is full-time, year round work? You won't be runnin off to follow the rodeo or nothin?"

"No sir! I done my share a that and I got no desire for more." Jack smiled at him.

"Jack here said that you been in ranch work all your life, Ennis. That so?"

"Yes sir. I was born to it. Done ranch work since I was big enough; that'd be goin on thirty years now." Ennis answered.

"Jack says you both been married and got kids. You gonna be needin time off to take 'em to the doctor's and such?" Reardon asked.

"No sir. My girls are grown now. One lives in California and the other in Alaska. They both got husbands to look out for 'em."

"I see. And you, Jack?"

"My boy lives mainly in Texas with his Ma but right now he's in some fancy-assed school in Switzerland."

"Switzerland?" Reardon's eyes grew big.

"Yeah, his momma's family got some big money and they set him up with a scholarship the day he was born."

"You're divorced?"

"Yes sir! And glad of it." Jack nodded as Ennis gave him a look.

"Well I'm a divorced man myself and I gotta say there just ain't nothin like freedom!" Mr. Reardon grinned. "Most women ain't cut out for ranch life. Then have a need to be in the city so they can shop and spend every last dime you make. And you take a week or two snowed in and they go nuts on you and start whinin about feeling trapped and all that shit. I finally told my old lady if she didn't like ranch life she could leave and she did. Best day a my life! Should a give her that option before I spent twenty six years a my life listenin to her bitch at me for one thing or another."

"I hear ya." Jack grinned.

"Amen!" Ennis chimed in.

"So how long were you married?" he asked Ennis.

"Ten years." Ennis answered.

"And you?" He asked Jack.

"Eighteen." Jack answered.

"Shit! We all done our time. Well one thing for sure, you come to work for me; I _won't_ be tryin to fix you up with nobody. I swear, if one more well-meaning friend tries to fix me up with their ugly relative I'm gonna have to hurt somebody!"

They all chuckled and nodded their heads in agreement.

"So, you're workin now on a ranch outside a Riverton?" He asked Jack.

"No, I'm still in Texas but in the middle of a move back to Wyoming – or maybe Montana. Ennis here is the one workin on that ranch outside a Riverton."

Mr. Reardon turned to Ennis.

"Would you have any objections to me callin that ranch for a reference?"

"No Sir; not at all. You want the number?" Ennis asked.

Mr. Reardon handed him a tablet and pencil and Ennis wrote the number down along with the ranch manager's name.

"And you, Jack. You're the salesman? You sure you want to give up that kind a work for ranch work?"

"Positive! I hated selling. Only way I got that job was because it was my wife's family business. I was raised on a ranch and every time I come back to Wyomin I work on the folk's place and that makes me doubly sure that that's the kind a work I was cut out for."

"Well you look fit enough to handle the work. Why don't I take you boys on a tour of the place so you can see what's what." Mr. Reardon stood and led them out the front door.

Forty five minutes later they returned to the house, went inside.

"So what do you think a my place?" Mr. Reardon asked as they all sat down.

"It's beautiful!" Jack commented.

"Mares look good and the stallions look like they could handle the job." Ennis said.

"Good fencing and nice creek across the back." Jack added.

"Stables could use a little work." Ennis said.

"Yeah, I know. My hands were supposed to take care a that but that's one of the many things that they didn't do around here before they took off." Reardon said. "Is that somethin you could handle or would we need to hire it done?"

"Nah, we can handle it. Carpentry ain't all that hard as long as you're not lookin for nothin fancy." Ennis said.

"That's what I was figurin. A new roof and some work around the windows. You think you could get it done before first snow?"

"Nah. The windows, yeah; but the roof shouldn't be replaced until summer. We could get up there and make some repairs though; make sure to keep the feed dry and the snow off a the stock."

"Why can't the roof be done now?" Reardon asked.

"Too cold. Shingles don't go up right in weather this cold. Also it could rain at any time at this altitude this time a year. Best wait until summer when you got a nice long stretch a warm weather." Ennis answered.

"Good; good. That's what the roofin company told me when I called 'em." Reardon said. "It's good to see that you know what you're doin. I watched you with my horses and I can tell you know your business. Okay boys." Reardon stood up and hitched up his jeans. "The jobs are yours if you want 'em."

"And you wouldn't have no problem with us pullin a trailer up here and hookin it up?" Jack asked.

"None at all. You can set it up out there by the barn. The east side will keep the worst a the wind off a you. I got a ranch account in town. You can get whatever you need for your hookup there. So we got us a deal or not?" He smiled at them and reached out a hand.

"I'm sold!" Jack said with a grin. "How about you, Ennis?" He held his breath as he waited for an answer.

Ennis stood with his head down, hands fingering his hat in front of him.

"You got any questions, Ennis?" Reardon asked.

"Just one. When you want us to start?" He looked up with a nervous little grin.

"The sooner the better. You boys need an advance for movin expenses?" Reardon asked.

"Nah, we got it covered." Jack was about to explode and couldn't wait to get out of there.

"We best be on our way then." Ennis said after shaking Reardon's hand. "We'll be back day after tomorrow with the trailer and horses. I'll be sure and bring their vet papers."

"Good; good. I'm sure you've taken good care of your horses but I do need to see the papers."

"You'll have 'em in your hands before we unload." Ennis promised as they walked out the door.

They had no sooner gotten out on the road when Jack pulled the truck over and howled, "YeeeHawwww!" and grabbed Ennis in a hug. "We gonna do this? Really?"

"I think we may as well try it. At least for the winter. If it don't turn out like we want, I can always get back on with Cole in the spring. What about you? You got a back up plan if this doesn't work out?"

"Nah. Don't need one. It's gonna work out – I know it will." Jack assured him as he squeezed his hand.

"What's this about you and Lureen bein divorced? I thought you was still married?"

"All it'll take is a phone call and I'm free as a bird."

"She ain't gonna give you no trouble?"

"Nah. She ain't like that. So do we find us a place in town for the night or head on back to Riverton?"

"It's early yet. Why don't we grab us some burgers and head on back. We're only a couple hours out of Bozeman. We can find us a place there to stay the night. It'll shorten the drive for tomorrow."

"You got it!" Jack pulled the truck back on to the road and headed for town.

They gobbled down their burgers and sodas and headed east. They drove in silence for a while. Jack's chatter finally ceased as plans were made for him pulling the trailer with his truck and Ennis carrying his horses with his.

After a bit, Ennis broke the quiet with, "You know - I always hated Halloween. I think I'm gonna like it from now on."

Jack grinned. "Me too! Oh, and I'm gonna remember that double-dog dare thing."

"You'd better! Cause first chance I get I'm gonna use it on you so be prepared!"

THE END


End file.
